The land of Shinkami Dao are a series of islands populated by both humans and other creatures. These creatures range from the mundane to ancient gods. The realm is ruled by the Empire of Densetsu where the Empress is the overarching ruler and the smaller island nations swore fealty to her. But recently a mysterious force has been working to undermine this as the nation of Kuroten has broken free and declared war. Now the remaining nations scramble to decide where they stand in this war, to either support the Empress or overthrow her. The gods of each island are also caught up in this as their inhabitants look to them for advice and support. While these gods would choose to avoid the human’s conflict, this war will affect everyone eventually, one way or another.
Governments
Government Presence(2):
The government system of Shinkami Dao is a hereditary monarchy. The Empire of Densetsu is ruled by the Empress and the smaller island nations surrounding the main island were ruled by queens who were loyal to the Empress. However, the recent war has caused the Kuroten to break away from the sovereignty of the Empress.
The Empress resides in an opulent palace situated beneath a mountain on the main island, from where she rules the Inner Kingdom. If she decides to start a family, which most Empresses are keen to do in order to preserve the royal bloodline, her chosen spouse (or spouses) and all children will reside in the palace as well, where they are allowed their own private chambers and a recreational room of their choosing to pass their free time however they please. While they are present for the majority of her official hearings, punishments, and sacrifices, the Empress’ three closest allies in power, known to the general public as the royal maidens, live nearby the royal palace rather than within it with the royal family.
While the Empress and the respective queen regents all hold absolute sovereignty of their various nations, much of their efforts are focused in their major cities as that is where they can actually enact their laws effectively. Outside the city walls, the laws of the government lose their effectiveness with the most remote villages barely even registering their respective rulers and choosing to govern themselves. Even larger villages choose to mainly self-govern, taking only the highest of decrees from the primary government.
While efforts have been made in the past to expand the government’s influence to the further reaches of their various islands, the outbreak of war has made this difficult. As a result, the only efforts made by the government have been calls to aid the war effort with peasant conscription, tax collection and acquisition of resources.
Social Services(1 Trending Down):
Due to the difficulty of reaching further outlying towns and villages, social services are nearly impossible to implement outside of major cities. Even then, very little is offered directly by the government. For medical care, doctors and healers operate their own businesses which citizens can pay for themselves. Education is extremely limited to most of the population. Only those who wish to take a civil service examination could qualify for positions within the government and most could not afford the studies needed to pass such exams. Most education is done through trade apprenticeships, homeschooling or Saburashi schools depending on the kind of profession they were going for.
At most the only kind of social service provided directly from the government has been military protection, but with the outbreak of war, even that has been severely reduced to anyone not already within the city walls.
Rule of Law(2):
As with other elements of government, the sheer distance needed to be covered from the main cities has resulted in the reach of the law being diminished beyond a certain point. While Saburashi often served as sheriffs and constables in many outlying villages, the call of war has meant that most if not all of them have left their posts to fight. Much of the villages and towns which self-govern typically have their own laws and punishments that they deal out as they see fit. Anything outside of these settlements is outside of any jurisdiction, allowing banditry, smuggling, and piracy to grow rampant, particularly with the chaos of the fighting.
Within the city walls, guards are typically regular citizens with Saburashi serving as the more important guards for the palace and other important government areas. However, Saburashi serve as elite police both to hunt down escaping criminals and to act as secret police against conspirators. Sentencing for crimes are usually dictated by a community court of jurors made up of citizens. Only the most serious of crimes reach the royal courts, and in some of the smaller islands the Saburashi conduct their own sentencing on the spot.
Some islands are so small, the Empresses of old deemed it a waste to send Saburashi to them. As a result of this, those communities have grown without a system of laws, and individuals act on their own moral codes and deal their own punishments when they deem fit. This has led to several absurd incidents over time, including things like one man claiming ownership over an island and trying to claim taxes from the rest of the inhabitants.
Economy
Economic Strength(3):
Natural resources vary between different islands. In many regards, this is what determines an island’s economic strength. Some are rich in useful metals like iron, while others have access to luxury resources like gold, obsidian, and gems, which are used in religious ceremonies. Most islands have some amount of agriculture to sustain their populations, though this depends on the availability of fertile soil, leading to fishing being the main source of food on many of the smaller islands. There are also some larger islands which have access to livestock including horses, cows, and other domesticated creatures.
Much of the economic strength of the major powers is being siphoned by the war effort. Though the treasuries are far from drained, they are starting to dwindle as the cost of the war adds up. However, the treasuries can sometimes grow through a bit of plundering, depending on how well the war is going.
Economic Distribution(3):
Wealth distribution is somewhat unbalanced between the classes. Obviously, due to the structure of the government, the empress and queens are the richest, being in control of vast treasuries and living in lavish palaces. Being in control of the military, they collect money and goods from the rest of society in exchange for protection, both from foreign threats and dangerous creatures. While the members of the monarchy are the richest by far, there is also an upper class. Composed mainly of nobles and government officials who provide some service to the monarchy, the upper class are able to amass fortunes of their own. These afford them exquisite mansions which are staffed by servants. Military strategists, warlords, and accomplished soldiers also belong to the upper class, in a noble military sub-class, a result of the strong warrior culture. Religious leadership also belongs in its own sub-class of the upper class. Often being the only people able to speak with the gods, chosen by the gods themselves, the religious leaders can make a decent profit by offering their services in such difficult times.
The middle class of society is occupied by a mix of artisans, craftsmen, and Saburashi. In general, someone who provides a useful service to society that has been honed through extensive practice. Saburashi especially are held in high regard, as the value of honor is thought to be upheld by the warriors, though things tend to be quite different on the battlefield.
The craftsmen that make up the rest of the middle class include blacksmiths, goldsmiths, carpenters, fletchers, and many others. Those whose services are useful to the military have been enjoying increased profits as the result of the war. This is especially true for those who are able to invent new weapons, or perfect existing methods of killing. This tends to include alchemists experimenting with new bombs and rockets, as well as beast tamers who have found clever ways to turn animals into weapons.
The artisans who make beautiful paintings, pottery, and jewelry have seen their business suffer lately due to the war. However, They are still able to find some buyers, as these things are still required for certain religious ceremonies, or to decorate the estates of warlords for the day when they return home.
The lower class contains farmers and traders. Both of which can make decent livings for themselves, but perform services that are seen as low skill. There is a possibility to make pretty good profit, though the government takes a lot of it away in exchange for protection. Even with military protection provided, these jobs are both quite dangerous, due in part to the war, but also to the threat that mythical creatures pose to people who live alone.
The lower class can also include those who don’t really fit into society at all. People who either live by themselves out in the forest, or have found tiny islands to call their own. These people have generally slipped through the cracks of society, many in an effort to become closer with nature. Yet there are others who have been drawn away from their homes by mythical creatures, or caught by them while wandering in the forests. These people are often never seen again.
Agriculture & Trade(4 Trending Down):
The main source of food on the larger islands is farming, while smaller ones rely on fishing to sustain their population. Some of the farmers are able to sell a lot of their harvest in the markets for a good profit, while others are just able to produce enough to sustain themselves. However, as a result of the war effort, the monarchies have been taking more and more food from the farmers to feed their armies. While the government officials will always claim that this is part of an arrangement which provides protection to the farmers, the farmers are being killed by marauding armies. Farms are either being burned by invaders, abandoned out of fear, or seized by the government. Originally the protection provided served to keep the farmers and their livelihood safe from some of the more dangerous creatures that roam the land. With the military already stretched so thin, and invading armies stirring up the creatures by marching through nature, they’ve become more of a threat than ever before.
Trading was once a bustling industry between the islands. Deficits of one resource on an island next to one with a surplus provided incredibly lucrative opportunities for merchants to get rich quick. Though, there is always some amount of risk associated with going to sea, due to the dangerous creatures living in the water, and the powers of the gods if they become angry. However, the war has overshadowed both of these concerns. The advent of gunpowder has made long range ocean based combat extremely effective. Which has led to powerful navies fighting for control of the seas.
With ships being raided by military patrols, or sunk by invading navies, there is now a heightened risk associated with the lure of easy money. Though some enterprising traders have adapted to the new climate, using their ships for smuggling or piracy on the now lawless seas.
Influences
Technology(4 Trending Up):
Technology in Shinkami Dao has recently entered an explosive period of growth with lots of technological marvels such as gunpowder, printing press, metallurgy and explosives being achieved. While lots of technological advances have been made in areas of farming, construction, shipbuilding and metal working, due to the rising threat of war, much technological research has been focused on military technology. Much of the rest of Shinkami Dao still features medieval era technology with swords, spears and bows being the main weapons of war. But with the discovery of gunpowder, firearms have begun to see their place on the battlefield.
The discovery of gunpowder has lead to a growing interest in the usage of alchemy in warfare. Bombs and rockets are making their first appearances on the battlefield as well as the usage of rudimentary cannons and artillery weapons. A new invention, dubbed “Dragon’s Breath” is a liquid propelled, waterproof flame that has been useful in naval combat but also is used as a terror weapon on land.
The domestication of creatures has also become a major technological advancement. Some are tamed and used as mounts, some are used in farming and heavy lifting and others are domesticated as pets. They also have their place in warfare with mounts being ridden into battle and larger creatures being used to transport siege equipment. In the sea, ships are still the primary mode of transportation. However recently the capturing of giant sea turtles has been occurring where large siege weapons are mounted on their backs.
Military(3 Trending Up):
Due to recent events, the nation Kuroten have declared war on the Empire of Densetsu. This has caused mass mobilization across all the islands of Shinkami Dao. All kingdoms follow a warrior culture mentality where warriors called Saburashi are people who have chosen to train in combat for life. Some nations place more emphasis on it than others. Kuroten has a heavy emphasis in their culture for war and as a result have a far larger demographic of Saburashi than any other nation.
However the numbers of Saburashi is too few to fight a full fledged war and as a result a shift in society has occurred where peasants are being conscripted to be the rank and file soldiers that make up the bulk of the armies. Both men and women between ages 16-50 are being called to fight, starting with the lowest class of citizens. While initially called for volunteers, usually with food and monetary incentive, as the war grows in size, citizens are merely called upon to fight and forcibly taken if they refuse.
Due to being a series of islands, the majority of fighting forces end up being sailors aboard ships. Those who had to be forcefully conscripted end up as rowing crew. This also makes it more difficult for people to desert. The Saburashi get much more focus on individual fighting prowess which is wasted at sea so the majority of ship crews are made up of peasant conscripts.
The emphasis on the warrior culture also elevates generals and admirals to incredibly high societal status. It is possible for a peasant to prove themselves on the battlefield and as a result climb the social ladder for both them and their family. This is often utilized as incentive for these conscripted soldiers to fight harder.
Religious(5):
Due to godly figures existing in the mortal plane, the question of deity worship has become fact. These beings take numerous forms and have varying levels of power as well as their own internal hierarchy. Each call an island their own domain, the size of the island being proportional to their status in power. On each island, these beings have their own religious followings with various people being chosen by these gods to be their voice to the rest of the people. These gods are often consulted and prayed to for advice and good fortune. While they are not omnipotent, they hold some influence over the ebbs and flows of nature.
While not every citizen is required to follow the nicolas cage of their island, or any nicolas cage for that matter, the influence of these beings is not to be understated. Each nicolas cage chooses to lead their island differently with some choosing to call for great statues and temples or worship while others choose a more humble path and walk amongst the people as one of their own, accepting their duties when they must. Even others choose to ignore their followers, only appearing when it benefits them. There are also godlike beings who do not call an island their home but have their own levels of influence throughout the islands.
Demonic spirits and beings also inhabit this world, although few in number, they go out of their way to attempt to sow chaos and disorder where they can. They often possess or trick people into following them and form cults to do their bidding. Shamanistic rituals often accompany these demonic possessions and are mainly utilized in manipulation of the dead, sacrificial offerings and the spread of demonic influence.
There are also large ancient creatures who are not sentient nor possess godly influences, but are worshipped just the same. The one with the largest following is Wang Bu Gi, the massive ancient sea turtle from which an island has grown on its back. Much of the worship and offerings done to this turtle are done out of fear that Wang Bu Gi will one day submerge entirely and drown the island.
Artistic(3):
Although the population of Shinkami Dao is not entirely built around its artistic prowess, there is still a strong trend in the art across its society. The citizens of each island have experimented with artistry across various media—pottery, paintings, and calligraphy are popular on the outer islands, while the main island and the inhabitants of the Inner Kingdom focus on performance art, such as music, poetry, and theatrical recreations of ancient stories. Culinary arts are a field that many are interested in, but few have access to due to the varying resources available to each island. The more prosperous islands inhabited by livestock and food sources often partake in festivals celebrating culinary exploration, dedicating certain dishes to gods or spirits.
Unsurprisingly, the dwellings of the royal family are considered an art form all their own. Amidst the squalor and dullness of the other homes, the royal palace glimmers, intricately carved wood and beautiful mythical murals serving as hallmarks of its wealth and worth.
Equality
Class(1 Trending Down):
The separation between the elites and the lowly born members of society is at an all-time high in Shinkami Dao. While economic distribution is fairly well, making it so lower class farmers and merchants can still make a good living for themselves, the social stigma of having these jobs can almost never escape them. This is due in part to the general lack of government-provided education, which forces children of the lower class to almost always be taught and raised into having lower class professions as well.
There are a few systemic beliefs throughout most of the islands that give people a negative view of the lower class. One of the biggest of these factors is the belief that one’s way should be made by what they can produce on their own. Farmers cultivate what the land provides, making it not theirs per se, while merchants peddle things they (usually) didn’t create themselves. This belief has forced those two positions into the lower class and has been a driving force behind the separation of the classes. It is also the reason artisans are placed in the middle class, as they use their skills to craft their own product.
With the island chain being on the brink of war, the Saburashi of the middle class have started being seen by the upper class as more valuable, thus further driving the social disparity between the middle and lower classes. The upper class consists of government officials, generals, admirals, scholars, and priests/priestesses.
Gender(2):
For as long as any of the island inhabitants can remember, Shinkami Dao has always been a matriarchal society. In all of the region’s archival records, be it a painting, ancient scroll, theater performance, or even a story passed along orally, women were always the figures of power and grace. Across timelines, the Empress was the designated face of the bridge between the mortal world and the world of the gods—the “chosen one”, as many would call her—and came to represent a level of dignity and poise that few could hold a candle to.
While the women of this population garner the same respect, worship, and fear that the gods do, the men of Shinkami Dao are given far less glamorous treatment. The more laborious, exhausting, and dangerous positions within society are reserved for them, and they are often victims of overexertion and discrimination. Many men experience harassment of varying levels and types on a daily basis in their lifetime, often falling prey to unfair labor wages, poorer trade outcomes with the Outer Kingdom’s island, and the occasional catcall. The unluckier ones will be called in by either the royal maidens or the Empress herself to serve as a concubine for an undisclosed amount of time, an event that becomes commonplace particularly when the Empress is “playing the field”, if you will, to find a partner with desirable genealogy for her bloodline.
That being said, if the Empress desires an heir to the throne but does not want to trouble herself with a pregnancy, she will often elect a directly-related family member in the prime of their years—sisters, nieces, or daughters—to act as a surrogate for her. It is considered both an enormous honor and religious blessing to be chosen to act as the vessel to deliver the Empress’ future heir. In historical writings, a family member that refuses to bear the Empress’ child is usually punished violently, disowned and ostracized from the family, or sacrificed to the spirits. Due to this stigma, it is virtually unheard of anyone rejecting this request.
Sexual Orientation(3):
Sexual orientation is not a major point of contention in Shinkami Dao. There are no discriminatory laws against same-sex marriage or relationships in place within the central Empire, and most of the other islands do not have these laws either. This is likely due to the fact that most of the gods occupying the island chain do not care one way or the other. However, full equality is not yet a thing, as there are some islands and some instances where homosexuality is seen as inferior or wrong. This belief is unfortunately common among some smaller islands, where the population is not as large and thus reproduction is much more important to the survival of the population. It also causes problems when people within the royal family are homosexual, as it is a hereditary rule, but this is commonly worked around by surrogate pregnancies as these are fairly common to begin with.
Racial(1):
Due to being such an isolated chain of islands, Shinkami Dao is all but unknown to the rest of the world. If other nations existed, those of Shinkami Dao cared little for their existence. The humans on the island are all of the same race and conflicts occur primarily due to cultural and political differences. While in the past exploration ships have been sent out, none have yet returned and it has no longer become a priority due to the war.
While humans are the primary race, there are certainly creatures and cultures of nonhuman origin. The ancient powerful beings that claim each island exist are not human but are elevated so far beyond the status of humans that they are considered gods and worshipped as such. Other sentient creatures exist and while some are treated with respect, most are shunned or hunted down. Most of the sentient creatures understand this and have come to resemble humans in passing. These include the (gumiho/kitsune) which uses its appearance to lure and hunt humans as prey. Sometimes, creatures with humanistic features are born but they are forced to live a life of isolation as their hybridization causes them to be shunned by both humans and their own kind.
Even still there are non human races that have managed to form their own cultures. These include barbaric tribes of Oni. While often staying apart from humans and choosing to fight amongst themselves, they have recently taken advantage of the war to pillage and raid at will. In the highest mountains, tribes of Macquae exist. These bipedal monkeys keep to themselves but will kill and eat any unwary traveller that stumbles into their mountain territory.
Table of Contents
Summary:
The land of Shinkami Dao are a series of islands populated by both humans and other creatures. These creatures range from the mundane to ancient gods. The realm is ruled by the Empire of Densetsu where the Empress is the overarching ruler and the smaller island nations swore fealty to her. But recently a mysterious force has been working to undermine this as the nation of Kuroten has broken free and declared war. Now the remaining nations scramble to decide where they stand in this war, to either support the Empress or overthrow her. The gods of each island are also caught up in this as their inhabitants look to them for advice and support. While these gods would choose to avoid the human’s conflict, this war will affect everyone eventually, one way or another.Governments
Government Presence(2):
The government system of Shinkami Dao is a hereditary monarchy. The Empire of Densetsu is ruled by the Empress and the smaller island nations surrounding the main island were ruled by queens who were loyal to the Empress. However, the recent war has caused the Kuroten to break away from the sovereignty of the Empress.The Empress resides in an opulent palace situated beneath a mountain on the main island, from where she rules the Inner Kingdom. If she decides to start a family, which most Empresses are keen to do in order to preserve the royal bloodline, her chosen spouse (or spouses) and all children will reside in the palace as well, where they are allowed their own private chambers and a recreational room of their choosing to pass their free time however they please. While they are present for the majority of her official hearings, punishments, and sacrifices, the Empress’ three closest allies in power, known to the general public as the royal maidens, live nearby the royal palace rather than within it with the royal family.
While the Empress and the respective queen regents all hold absolute sovereignty of their various nations, much of their efforts are focused in their major cities as that is where they can actually enact their laws effectively. Outside the city walls, the laws of the government lose their effectiveness with the most remote villages barely even registering their respective rulers and choosing to govern themselves. Even larger villages choose to mainly self-govern, taking only the highest of decrees from the primary government.
While efforts have been made in the past to expand the government’s influence to the further reaches of their various islands, the outbreak of war has made this difficult. As a result, the only efforts made by the government have been calls to aid the war effort with peasant conscription, tax collection and acquisition of resources.
Social Services(1 Trending Down):
Due to the difficulty of reaching further outlying towns and villages, social services are nearly impossible to implement outside of major cities. Even then, very little is offered directly by the government. For medical care, doctors and healers operate their own businesses which citizens can pay for themselves. Education is extremely limited to most of the population. Only those who wish to take a civil service examination could qualify for positions within the government and most could not afford the studies needed to pass such exams. Most education is done through trade apprenticeships, homeschooling or Saburashi schools depending on the kind of profession they were going for.At most the only kind of social service provided directly from the government has been military protection, but with the outbreak of war, even that has been severely reduced to anyone not already within the city walls.
Rule of Law(2):
As with other elements of government, the sheer distance needed to be covered from the main cities has resulted in the reach of the law being diminished beyond a certain point. While Saburashi often served as sheriffs and constables in many outlying villages, the call of war has meant that most if not all of them have left their posts to fight. Much of the villages and towns which self-govern typically have their own laws and punishments that they deal out as they see fit. Anything outside of these settlements is outside of any jurisdiction, allowing banditry, smuggling, and piracy to grow rampant, particularly with the chaos of the fighting.Within the city walls, guards are typically regular citizens with Saburashi serving as the more important guards for the palace and other important government areas. However, Saburashi serve as elite police both to hunt down escaping criminals and to act as secret police against conspirators. Sentencing for crimes are usually dictated by a community court of jurors made up of citizens. Only the most serious of crimes reach the royal courts, and in some of the smaller islands the Saburashi conduct their own sentencing on the spot.
Some islands are so small, the Empresses of old deemed it a waste to send Saburashi to them. As a result of this, those communities have grown without a system of laws, and individuals act on their own moral codes and deal their own punishments when they deem fit. This has led to several absurd incidents over time, including things like one man claiming ownership over an island and trying to claim taxes from the rest of the inhabitants.
Economy
Economic Strength(3):
Natural resources vary between different islands. In many regards, this is what determines an island’s economic strength. Some are rich in useful metals like iron, while others have access to luxury resources like gold, obsidian, and gems, which are used in religious ceremonies. Most islands have some amount of agriculture to sustain their populations, though this depends on the availability of fertile soil, leading to fishing being the main source of food on many of the smaller islands. There are also some larger islands which have access to livestock including horses, cows, and other domesticated creatures.Much of the economic strength of the major powers is being siphoned by the war effort. Though the treasuries are far from drained, they are starting to dwindle as the cost of the war adds up. However, the treasuries can sometimes grow through a bit of plundering, depending on how well the war is going.
Economic Distribution(3):
Wealth distribution is somewhat unbalanced between the classes. Obviously, due to the structure of the government, the empress and queens are the richest, being in control of vast treasuries and living in lavish palaces. Being in control of the military, they collect money and goods from the rest of society in exchange for protection, both from foreign threats and dangerous creatures. While the members of the monarchy are the richest by far, there is also an upper class. Composed mainly of nobles and government officials who provide some service to the monarchy, the upper class are able to amass fortunes of their own. These afford them exquisite mansions which are staffed by servants. Military strategists, warlords, and accomplished soldiers also belong to the upper class, in a noble military sub-class, a result of the strong warrior culture. Religious leadership also belongs in its own sub-class of the upper class. Often being the only people able to speak with the gods, chosen by the gods themselves, the religious leaders can make a decent profit by offering their services in such difficult times.The middle class of society is occupied by a mix of artisans, craftsmen, and Saburashi. In general, someone who provides a useful service to society that has been honed through extensive practice. Saburashi especially are held in high regard, as the value of honor is thought to be upheld by the warriors, though things tend to be quite different on the battlefield.
The craftsmen that make up the rest of the middle class include blacksmiths, goldsmiths, carpenters, fletchers, and many others. Those whose services are useful to the military have been enjoying increased profits as the result of the war. This is especially true for those who are able to invent new weapons, or perfect existing methods of killing. This tends to include alchemists experimenting with new bombs and rockets, as well as beast tamers who have found clever ways to turn animals into weapons.
The artisans who make beautiful paintings, pottery, and jewelry have seen their business suffer lately due to the war. However, They are still able to find some buyers, as these things are still required for certain religious ceremonies, or to decorate the estates of warlords for the day when they return home.
The lower class contains farmers and traders. Both of which can make decent livings for themselves, but perform services that are seen as low skill. There is a possibility to make pretty good profit, though the government takes a lot of it away in exchange for protection. Even with military protection provided, these jobs are both quite dangerous, due in part to the war, but also to the threat that mythical creatures pose to people who live alone.
The lower class can also include those who don’t really fit into society at all. People who either live by themselves out in the forest, or have found tiny islands to call their own. These people have generally slipped through the cracks of society, many in an effort to become closer with nature. Yet there are others who have been drawn away from their homes by mythical creatures, or caught by them while wandering in the forests. These people are often never seen again.
Agriculture & Trade(4 Trending Down):
The main source of food on the larger islands is farming, while smaller ones rely on fishing to sustain their population. Some of the farmers are able to sell a lot of their harvest in the markets for a good profit, while others are just able to produce enough to sustain themselves. However, as a result of the war effort, the monarchies have been taking more and more food from the farmers to feed their armies. While the government officials will always claim that this is part of an arrangement which provides protection to the farmers, the farmers are being killed by marauding armies. Farms are either being burned by invaders, abandoned out of fear, or seized by the government. Originally the protection provided served to keep the farmers and their livelihood safe from some of the more dangerous creatures that roam the land. With the military already stretched so thin, and invading armies stirring up the creatures by marching through nature, they’ve become more of a threat than ever before.Trading was once a bustling industry between the islands. Deficits of one resource on an island next to one with a surplus provided incredibly lucrative opportunities for merchants to get rich quick. Though, there is always some amount of risk associated with going to sea, due to the dangerous creatures living in the water, and the powers of the gods if they become angry. However, the war has overshadowed both of these concerns. The advent of gunpowder has made long range ocean based combat extremely effective. Which has led to powerful navies fighting for control of the seas.
With ships being raided by military patrols, or sunk by invading navies, there is now a heightened risk associated with the lure of easy money. Though some enterprising traders have adapted to the new climate, using their ships for smuggling or piracy on the now lawless seas.
Influences
Technology(4 Trending Up):
Technology in Shinkami Dao has recently entered an explosive period of growth with lots of technological marvels such as gunpowder, printing press, metallurgy and explosives being achieved. While lots of technological advances have been made in areas of farming, construction, shipbuilding and metal working, due to the rising threat of war, much technological research has been focused on military technology. Much of the rest of Shinkami Dao still features medieval era technology with swords, spears and bows being the main weapons of war. But with the discovery of gunpowder, firearms have begun to see their place on the battlefield.The discovery of gunpowder has lead to a growing interest in the usage of alchemy in warfare. Bombs and rockets are making their first appearances on the battlefield as well as the usage of rudimentary cannons and artillery weapons. A new invention, dubbed “Dragon’s Breath” is a liquid propelled, waterproof flame that has been useful in naval combat but also is used as a terror weapon on land.
The domestication of creatures has also become a major technological advancement. Some are tamed and used as mounts, some are used in farming and heavy lifting and others are domesticated as pets. They also have their place in warfare with mounts being ridden into battle and larger creatures being used to transport siege equipment. In the sea, ships are still the primary mode of transportation. However recently the capturing of giant sea turtles has been occurring where large siege weapons are mounted on their backs.
Military(3 Trending Up):
Due to recent events, the nation Kuroten have declared war on the Empire of Densetsu. This has caused mass mobilization across all the islands of Shinkami Dao. All kingdoms follow a warrior culture mentality where warriors called Saburashi are people who have chosen to train in combat for life. Some nations place more emphasis on it than others. Kuroten has a heavy emphasis in their culture for war and as a result have a far larger demographic of Saburashi than any other nation.However the numbers of Saburashi is too few to fight a full fledged war and as a result a shift in society has occurred where peasants are being conscripted to be the rank and file soldiers that make up the bulk of the armies. Both men and women between ages 16-50 are being called to fight, starting with the lowest class of citizens. While initially called for volunteers, usually with food and monetary incentive, as the war grows in size, citizens are merely called upon to fight and forcibly taken if they refuse.
Due to being a series of islands, the majority of fighting forces end up being sailors aboard ships. Those who had to be forcefully conscripted end up as rowing crew. This also makes it more difficult for people to desert. The Saburashi get much more focus on individual fighting prowess which is wasted at sea so the majority of ship crews are made up of peasant conscripts.
The emphasis on the warrior culture also elevates generals and admirals to incredibly high societal status. It is possible for a peasant to prove themselves on the battlefield and as a result climb the social ladder for both them and their family. This is often utilized as incentive for these conscripted soldiers to fight harder.
Religious(5):
Due to godly figures existing in the mortal plane, the question of deity worship has become fact. These beings take numerous forms and have varying levels of power as well as their own internal hierarchy. Each call an island their own domain, the size of the island being proportional to their status in power. On each island, these beings have their own religious followings with various people being chosen by these gods to be their voice to the rest of the people. These gods are often consulted and prayed to for advice and good fortune. While they are not omnipotent, they hold some influence over the ebbs and flows of nature.While not every citizen is required to follow the nicolas cage of their island, or any nicolas cage for that matter, the influence of these beings is not to be understated. Each nicolas cage chooses to lead their island differently with some choosing to call for great statues and temples or worship while others choose a more humble path and walk amongst the people as one of their own, accepting their duties when they must. Even others choose to ignore their followers, only appearing when it benefits them. There are also godlike beings who do not call an island their home but have their own levels of influence throughout the islands.
Demonic spirits and beings also inhabit this world, although few in number, they go out of their way to attempt to sow chaos and disorder where they can. They often possess or trick people into following them and form cults to do their bidding. Shamanistic rituals often accompany these demonic possessions and are mainly utilized in manipulation of the dead, sacrificial offerings and the spread of demonic influence.
There are also large ancient creatures who are not sentient nor possess godly influences, but are worshipped just the same. The one with the largest following is Wang Bu Gi, the massive ancient sea turtle from which an island has grown on its back. Much of the worship and offerings done to this turtle are done out of fear that Wang Bu Gi will one day submerge entirely and drown the island.
Artistic(3):
Although the population of Shinkami Dao is not entirely built around its artistic prowess, there is still a strong trend in the art across its society. The citizens of each island have experimented with artistry across various media—pottery, paintings, and calligraphy are popular on the outer islands, while the main island and the inhabitants of the Inner Kingdom focus on performance art, such as music, poetry, and theatrical recreations of ancient stories. Culinary arts are a field that many are interested in, but few have access to due to the varying resources available to each island. The more prosperous islands inhabited by livestock and food sources often partake in festivals celebrating culinary exploration, dedicating certain dishes to gods or spirits.Unsurprisingly, the dwellings of the royal family are considered an art form all their own. Amidst the squalor and dullness of the other homes, the royal palace glimmers, intricately carved wood and beautiful mythical murals serving as hallmarks of its wealth and worth.
Equality
Class(1 Trending Down):
The separation between the elites and the lowly born members of society is at an all-time high in Shinkami Dao. While economic distribution is fairly well, making it so lower class farmers and merchants can still make a good living for themselves, the social stigma of having these jobs can almost never escape them. This is due in part to the general lack of government-provided education, which forces children of the lower class to almost always be taught and raised into having lower class professions as well.There are a few systemic beliefs throughout most of the islands that give people a negative view of the lower class. One of the biggest of these factors is the belief that one’s way should be made by what they can produce on their own. Farmers cultivate what the land provides, making it not theirs per se, while merchants peddle things they (usually) didn’t create themselves. This belief has forced those two positions into the lower class and has been a driving force behind the separation of the classes. It is also the reason artisans are placed in the middle class, as they use their skills to craft their own product.
With the island chain being on the brink of war, the Saburashi of the middle class have started being seen by the upper class as more valuable, thus further driving the social disparity between the middle and lower classes. The upper class consists of government officials, generals, admirals, scholars, and priests/priestesses.
Gender(2):
For as long as any of the island inhabitants can remember, Shinkami Dao has always been a matriarchal society. In all of the region’s archival records, be it a painting, ancient scroll, theater performance, or even a story passed along orally, women were always the figures of power and grace. Across timelines, the Empress was the designated face of the bridge between the mortal world and the world of the gods—the “chosen one”, as many would call her—and came to represent a level of dignity and poise that few could hold a candle to.While the women of this population garner the same respect, worship, and fear that the gods do, the men of Shinkami Dao are given far less glamorous treatment. The more laborious, exhausting, and dangerous positions within society are reserved for them, and they are often victims of overexertion and discrimination. Many men experience harassment of varying levels and types on a daily basis in their lifetime, often falling prey to unfair labor wages, poorer trade outcomes with the Outer Kingdom’s island, and the occasional catcall. The unluckier ones will be called in by either the royal maidens or the Empress herself to serve as a concubine for an undisclosed amount of time, an event that becomes commonplace particularly when the Empress is “playing the field”, if you will, to find a partner with desirable genealogy for her bloodline.
That being said, if the Empress desires an heir to the throne but does not want to trouble herself with a pregnancy, she will often elect a directly-related family member in the prime of their years—sisters, nieces, or daughters—to act as a surrogate for her. It is considered both an enormous honor and religious blessing to be chosen to act as the vessel to deliver the Empress’ future heir. In historical writings, a family member that refuses to bear the Empress’ child is usually punished violently, disowned and ostracized from the family, or sacrificed to the spirits. Due to this stigma, it is virtually unheard of anyone rejecting this request.
Sexual Orientation(3):
Sexual orientation is not a major point of contention in Shinkami Dao. There are no discriminatory laws against same-sex marriage or relationships in place within the central Empire, and most of the other islands do not have these laws either. This is likely due to the fact that most of the gods occupying the island chain do not care one way or the other. However, full equality is not yet a thing, as there are some islands and some instances where homosexuality is seen as inferior or wrong. This belief is unfortunately common among some smaller islands, where the population is not as large and thus reproduction is much more important to the survival of the population. It also causes problems when people within the royal family are homosexual, as it is a hereditary rule, but this is commonly worked around by surrogate pregnancies as these are fairly common to begin with.Racial(1):
Due to being such an isolated chain of islands, Shinkami Dao is all but unknown to the rest of the world. If other nations existed, those of Shinkami Dao cared little for their existence. The humans on the island are all of the same race and conflicts occur primarily due to cultural and political differences. While in the past exploration ships have been sent out, none have yet returned and it has no longer become a priority due to the war.While humans are the primary race, there are certainly creatures and cultures of nonhuman origin. The ancient powerful beings that claim each island exist are not human but are elevated so far beyond the status of humans that they are considered gods and worshipped as such. Other sentient creatures exist and while some are treated with respect, most are shunned or hunted down. Most of the sentient creatures understand this and have come to resemble humans in passing. These include the (gumiho/kitsune) which uses its appearance to lure and hunt humans as prey. Sometimes, creatures with humanistic features are born but they are forced to live a life of isolation as their hybridization causes them to be shunned by both humans and their own kind.
Even still there are non human races that have managed to form their own cultures. These include barbaric tribes of Oni. While often staying apart from humans and choosing to fight amongst themselves, they have recently taken advantage of the war to pillage and raid at will. In the highest mountains, tribes of Macquae exist. These bipedal monkeys keep to themselves but will kill and eat any unwary traveller that stumbles into their mountain territory.
Beastiary